But First You Need to Weigh ...

When you're starting a new eating plan, before you decide how often you're going to weigh, you need to know how much you weigh right now. If you've been careless with your eating for awhile and are afraid you've gained a little -- or a lot -- of weight, that can be a very hard thing for some people to do. I know if I haven't weighed for a month or two, it's almost impossible to make myself step on that scale again. But I also know it really needs to be done before I start so I can substantiate how well things are working for me.

Yes, I know that inches matter and some people rely on how their clothes fit to determine how well they're doing. But I promise you, if don't weigh when you start, the time is going to come when you wish you had. If you're having trouble losing, your weight fluctutations can help you figure out what the problem might be. And if you're successful at losing, you'll want to know just how much you've lost. After all, when everyone sees how terrific you look, they'll be asking you exactly that question.

So do whatever it takes to step on the scale that first time. I find that I become a zombie, yes, a zombie, to make myself weigh. I go a few days making excuses about why I don't need to weigh and muttering how I hate the scale, then almost without thinking I end up on it. I think I blank everything out of my mind and let my subconcious guide me to do what I need to do. Some things are easier if we don't overthink them.

So step on the scale. It may hurt when you see that number, but it will only hurt a moment if you tell yourself, "I'm going down from here; I'll never weigh this much again."

A Happy Surprise

Most people I know weigh daily or weekly. Experts more often recommend weekly weighing so one doesn't become too preoccupied with the scales, but many people feel the need to check every day to see how they're doing ... sometimes more than once a day.

Personally, I sometimes get to the point where I'm stepping on the scale several times a day. It's not really good for me because I end up stewing about it every time I nudge up a half pound or so, which happens frequently over the course of a day. Weekly weigh-ins are better, but sometimes I find it hard to be inspired by a small loss, which often happens when you're weighing every week.

I finally figured out what works best for me, and it's not daily weigh-ins. And it's not weekly weigh-ins, either. Weighing every other week has been the most successful for me. I don't get that obsession with the scales that comes from daily weigh-ins, and my two week losses are naturally more substantial than weekly losses, so it keeps me motivated and inspired.

Give it a try sometime and see if it works for you. If you find yourself stumbling in between weigh-ins, feeling like you don't need to eat carefully because you have several days until you step on that scale, it may not be the best solution for you. But if you can stick with your plan and resist the scales for two weeks, your next weigh in may be a happy surprise.

Laughing Turkey Cutlets

From a message board:

"I made a super-yummy and FAST dinner last night. Took 4 oz thin turkey cutlets, spread with a laughing cow cheese wedge, added a couple slices of red bell pepper and some spinach, then rolled up tightly and baked for about half an hour at 375. Just seasoned the tops with salt and pepper and put in the oven. It was SO good. The laughing cow made it really creamy."

The NOT A Burger, at Burger King

Okay, I'll admit it. I do way too much fast food. I'm usually in a hurry when I'm out and about, and I don't really like eating alone at restaurants anyway, so it's drive-thru for me. I don't eat beef, though, so that limits my choices (and that's not necessarily bad, since it keeps me away from hamburgers).

Yay, Burger King! They've had their veggie burger on the menu for years now, and I'm still thrilled about it. It's a Morningstar Farms veggie pattie, which is one of my favorites. Okay, so it's not fine dining, but I order it with mustard instead of ketchup and mayo, and it's about 7 points -- 340 calories; 7 fiber; 8 fat. (If you're a burger lover, your choice would be the Whopper Jr. without mayo, for 6.4 points -- 290, 2 fiber, 12 fat.)

Be sure to add lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles to your sandwich to make it especially filling. And if you use my old trick of taking along your own lite (1 point) bun and substituting it for BK's bun, you can reduce the points and calories by about 1 point/50 calories. However, if you want a slice of cheese on your sandwich, add 1 point/50 calories.

It's not something you want to do everyday, but Burger King can fill a need when you're on the road and in a hurry.

Note: The BK Veggie Burger is no longer vegan.

It's That Time of Year Again ...

It's getting to be fresh strawberry season and aren't we lucky? Strawberries are so low in calories and so delicious!

Very Strawberry Shake

1 cup frozen strawberries (buy fresh ones, wash and dry, and toss in a freezer bag)
1/4 cup ice cubes
1/2 cup lite strawberry yogurt
1 packet Splenda (or other sweetener), or to taste
3/4 cup skim milk
1 Tbs. all fruit Strawberry Spread

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Serves 2, at 75 calories, about 1.5 WW points each.

Pasta Plus

If you're craving pasta, make a small serving of your favorite (try to keep it at one serving so you won't be tempted to over indulge on leftovers later) and eat it on a bed of steamed broccoli or zucchini.

For example, if it's spaghetti and meatballs you're yearning for, make a single serving of pasta and sauce, and a few lean meatballs, and dump the whole shebang on top of a couple of servings of steamed broccoli. You still get the taste you're craving from the pasta and sauce, the veggie helps fill you up and adds fiber and vitamins, and you won't feel deprived of your favorite dish. It's surprisingly good-tasting ... filling ... and an easy way to add extra veggies to your diet.

Drop the Weight(s)

Have you ever been tempted to add weights to your aerobic exercise? After all, a 200 pound person burns more calories running a mile than a 150 pound person. So why not strap on some weights and burn more calories?

Because it's a bad idea all around. First of all, you can't add enough pounds with weights to make a significant impact on calories burned. You may be able to complete your normal workout with an extra 10 pounds of weight strapped on, but not with 50.

Second of all, by adding external weights you greatly increase your risk of injury. Ankle weights can change your gait and potentially cause leg, hip and lower-back injuries. And with hand weights, too much weight can strain your arm and shoulder muscles. These best option for adding weights -- a weighted vest -- is still not a good one because it put an unexpected strain on your knees and ankles.

Finally, adding weights will most likely slow down or shorten your workout, which will negate any added effect the weights may have.

So save the weights for the weight room. If you want to amp up your cardio workout, go longer, faster, and/or steeper. It's a safer and surer way to burn more calories.

One Pot Meal

I love cooking in the crockpot. Here's a crockpot dinner I make quite often, and the entire meal is right there in the pot.

Mix in a bowl, 1 package of Stove Top stuffing, including the seasoning pouch, 1 can of 98% ff cream of mushroom or chicken soup, and 1/2 cup of water or broth. Set aside.

Drain and rinse a can or two of green beans and place in the bottom of the crockpot. Pour 1/2 cup of water or broth over the beans. Top with stuffing mix (make a slightly flattened mound so it mostly covers the beans), and top that with 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts.

Cook on low for 7 hours.

Makes 4 servings, about 350 calories, 7 points each.

Note: You can vary this in many ways -- You can experiment with different kinds of soups. You can add a can of corn in with the beans (it add another half point or 50 calories or so per serving). You can use lean pork chops instead of chicken breasts. Experiment!

Right Outside Your Door

This looks fun --

"Walk Score calculates the walkability of an address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc. Walk Score measures how easy it is to live a car-lite lifestyle—not how pretty the area is for walking."

In other words, there are a lot of nice, pretty places to walk that may not show up here, but what you do find is how accommodating your neighborhood is for getting around to interesting, useful places using your feet instead of a car. It might give you an idea of a few activities or chores you can do while getting your walking in for the day.

My neighborhood is 52 out of 100 which sort of surprised me since there's a lot nearby. But I'm in a suburban area, so compared to city living I guess it's about par for the course. For a little fun check out the "Celebrity Locations" on the right side of the page and see how walkable Bill Gates' and Tony Soprano's (among others) neighborhoods are!

Get Your Walk Score - A Walkability Score For Any Address

An Newfangled Old-Fashioned Treat

If you're craving an old fashioned ice cream soda, you're in luck. You can make your own healthier version using a scoop of slow churned vanilla or chocolate ice cream and your favorite sugar-free soda pop for just 2-2.5 points or about 100 calories. Try sugar free root beer, chocolate fudge (Canfield) soda, or cream soda. Or have a dreamsicle soda with sugar free orange pop and slow churned vanilla bean ice cream. You can add a small squirt of fat-free whipped cream for "free."

1/2 cup of the slow churned ice creams is 2-2.5 points, around 100 calories.

Using sugar free low fat ice cream brings it down to 1 point. 2 tablespoons of fat-free Reddi-Whip is only 8 calories.

A Word From the Wise (and Thin)

A tip from a message board member who has lost almost 75 pounds:

"Tip wise, I'd say buy a scale, practice obsessive portion control, and eat tons of fiber! I am not kidding; you can't eat too much fiber, especially for breakfast. Ignore people who look at you funny when you're comparing cereals and putting back the ones with less than 10 grams of fiber. Unlike them, you won't be craving a snack mid-morning because your blood sugar will be still be stable."

My Favorite Diuretic Meal

I guess the reason I know those diuretic veggies from yesterday is because I struggle with retaining water a lot. This is my favorite "night before weigh-in" meal if I feel like I'm retaining water:








Baked boneless skinless chicken breast, seasoned with Mrs. Dash, NO salt
A small portion of brown rice with a squeeze of lemon (but only if really hungry; it would probably be better to skip this but I usually include it)
Steamed broccoli
Cucumbers in vinegar (recipe here: Cucumbers in Vinegar )
Fresh pineapple or watermelon for dessert or a later snack
A Multi-vitamin/mineral capsule


Lots of water!

I try to eat an early dinner to give this time to work. Warning -- you will not get much sleep because you'll be getting up to go to the bathroom all night!

Flush It Out

Sometimes when the scale doesn't cooperate, it's simply a case of retaining water. Most canned and processed foods have a lot of sodium, as well as restaurant foods. If you feel bloated and want to flush the sodium out of your system, here is a list of foods which are natural diuretics to help you get there.

It's recommended that you drink a LOT of water when using food as a diuretic to make sure you do not dehydrate and you flush your system out. Additionally, be aware that if you frequently use diuretic foods, there's a possiblity that you're also flushing other minerals, such as potassium, out of your body, which could lead serious health complications. Be sure to take a vitamin and mineral supplement.

Asparagus

Beets
Broccoli
Brussels SproutsCabbage

Carrots

Celery

Cucumber

Garlic

Horseradish

Lettuce

Onions

Radishes

Apple Cider Vinegar

Cranberry Juice

Green Tea

Dandelion Leaf Tea

A Million Lemons Cake

A Million Lemons Cake ... because it tastes so lemony and delicious.

1 box Pillsbury Reduced Sugar Lemon Cake Mix
10 ounces diet Sprite
1 egg white
1 small box sugar-free lemon gelatin
7 ounces fat-free sweetened condensed milk
8 ounces Cool Whip Free
2 teaspoons lemon extract

Mix Lemon cake mix, egg white and diet soda. Grease a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray. Pour cake batter into pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. During the last few minutes of baking, put lemon jello and condensed milk in a sauce pan and stir on medium low heat until smooth. Take cake out of oven and poke holes all over the top. Pour jello mix over warm cake, filling in the holes. Cool completely. Mix 2 tsp lemon extract with cool whip. Cover cake with cool whip mix. Place cake in refridgerator until ready to serve.

12 Servings, 110 Calories per serving 2 WW Points per serving

Do You Want a Jelly Belly?

Have you heard about Jelly Belly Sport Beans? I haven't tried them, but the reviews on Amazon are quite good (they rated 5 out of 5 stars, with 10 reviews).

What Jelly Belly says: "Sport Beans jelly beans -- formulated with electrolytes, carbohydrates and vitamins B and C to replenish your energy after intense exercise. This revolutionary product ensures maximum performance and ideal portion control, with flavor that will keep you smiling throughout the hardest workout."

They come in orange, lemon lime, berry blue, fruit punch, berry, and watermelon.

1 packet contains about 14 pieces, 100 calories; 2 WW points.

Go here to learn more : SportBeans

Beyond the Gym

We all know that when stress strikes, it's better to head for the gym than for the kitchen. But there are other ways to deal with feelings that cause stress eating than going to the gym. While anger, anxiety, sadness, and loneliness are emotions that could compel us to head zombie-like to the refrigerator, here are a few quick fixes that most likely will turn things around.

Anger: Pull out your favorite dance CD, blast your stereo as loud as your situation allows (or wear headphones), and sing and dance along with as much enthusiasm as you can muster. Grab a hairbrush and use it as your microphone. Let it all out!

Sadness: Watch your favorite sit-com (The Office, anyone?) or rent a feel-good movie. August Rush, Finding Forrester, and Remember the Titans are a few of my favorite feel-goods.

Anxiety: First, turn off the news. You can get caught up with current events later. Listen to soft music or a relaxation tape. Read your favorite fashion magazine or curl up with a good book. Think Clive Cussler or Nora Roberts. (This isn't the time for intellectual enlightenment; it's time for escapism).

Loneliness: Isn't it your turn to call your sister? Don't you have several emails to reply to? Now is the time to reach out to others.

Many of us eat when all we need is a little self-nurturing. Take the time to be good to yourself. And if you find you just can't shake feelings of anxiety or depression no matter what you do -- if it sticks around awhile and/or interferes with your life -- it's probably time to talk to your doctor about it.

1 Point Taco Soup

From a message board:

Taco Soup

1 can black or northern beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can mild Rotel tomatoes and peppers
2 cans Mexican seasoned tomatoes
1 can Mexican style corn or plain corn
1 pkg. Taco seasoning
1 pkg. Hidden Ranch dry salad dressing mix- fat free

All cans added un-drained. You can add tomato soup, ff broth, or water if you desire a thinner soup. It's extra-delicious if you let it cook awhile in a slow cooker.

NOTE: You can add 1 lb. extra lean ground beef and onion cooked together for a total point value of 2 points per cup. Freezes well, so make a double batch.

Serving size: 1 cup
About 120 calories, 1 WW point (because of fiber).

(ANOTHER NOTE: This is a 'convenience' recipe, and like most convenience recipes, it's not the model of nutritional perfection. There's a lot of sodium here, so if you have a reason to restrict your sodium intake, pass this one up. Convenience recipes are great timesavers and we all use them, but it's important to balance them out with meals consisting of whole, natural foods.)

Exactly What He Would Want Me To Do

My Dad was a big man in height and weight, as well as in character. My sister and brother and I have all struggled with our weight as adults. Ask any one of us, and we'll tell you that we 'take after Dad.'

It may be true; I don't know for sure if genetics play a role in my battle with my weight and I really don't have any way of finding out. It may also be a bit of an excuse, a rationalization to accept weight loss failure.


Yes, it's possible that I'm genetically inclined to be overweight. It's also possible -- no, probable -- that not only did I inherit my father's genes, I also inherited his eating habits.

Dad was one of those guys who loved food. Detours of hundreds of miles were taken to buy a certain kind of Wisconsin cheese. Holidays were one spectacular meal stacked on top of another. A midnight snack was built into a feast worthy of kings.

So before I even consider if genes play a part in my weight struggle, I need be sure that I'm not following in his footsteps in terms of how I use and view food. I love him and I miss him, but I can't deny that an excess of food is part of the reason he isn't here today. I can honor him by learning from his mistakes and by eating right and staying healthy.

And what if I do have his "big" genes? Well, I can do one of two things. I can accept that being unhealthy and overweight is my destiny and just quit trying, or I can see it as an even greater reason to continue to eat well and exercise often. Again, I can honor him by doing whatever it takes to live a long and healthy life. It's exactly what he would want me to do.

Banana "Ice Cream"

This is a relatively healthy sweet tooth buster.

1 medium banana
2 Tbs sugar free maple syrup
A splash of vanilla
Additional sweetener, if desired

Peel the banana and slice it in 1 inch intervals. Place it in a zip-loc bag and freeze.

Place frozen banana in blender or food processor and process until smooth. Add syrup and vanilla (and sweetener, if desired) and process a few seconds more.

About 110 calories; 2 WW points.

Spoodles, Anyone?

If you're really serious about measuring your food, invest in some spoodles. These are kitchen utensils which are a cross between a spoon and a ladle, and hold a specific amount of ounces. A 4 oz. spoodle is an easy way to portion out half-cup servings of food. You can also buy them in other sizes.

You can find spoodles at restaurant supply stores and on Amazon:
Click here: Amazon.com: 4 Ounce Black Solid Spoodle® (13-0480)

Have a (Different) Sweet ... (Potato)

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

2 medium sweet potatoes, washed, peel on
1 tbsp olive oil
paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Slice each potato into thin rounds or 1/2 inch thick strips. Put potatoes in zip lock bag, toss with oil, salt, pepper and paprika. Remove from bag and place on a non-stick baking sheet. (If you cover your baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray, there will be no clean up; just throw away the foil.) Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn potatoes and bake until bottom is browned, about 10-15 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings, about 150 calories, 3 WW points.

Have a (Sweet) ... Potato

Sweet potato -- sweet-tasting, packed with fiber and beta-carotene, and so filling it's hard to believe one 5-inch potato has only 117 calories (2 points) and less than a gram of fat. Oprah Winfrey calls half a leftover refrigerated sweet potato "a wonderful dessert."

I personally think it's a great afternoon snack. So the next time you're baking sweet potatoes for dinner, pop a couple extra in the oven and save them for later.

Make Your Living Room Your Gym

Exercise DVDs can take you a long way toward your fitness goals. Most of them take a fairly small amount of space, so you can do them indoors in any weather. They're cost effective after that first investment, or free if you get them from your local library. And they're fun! After you've worked out with several, you'll soon have your favorites and actually look forward to doing them.

Here are some tips for getting the most out of your exercise DVDs:

1. Try to acquire a wide variety of DVDs to avoid boredom. Aerobics, yoga, weight-lifting, toning -- all sorts of DVDs are available. Try before you buy by checking them out of your library first.

2. Get tapes that tone and condition different parts of your body and rotate their use.

3. Collect DVDs with different fitness levels. You can work up to those harder ones; fall back on the easier ones on days you're not feeling so energetic. A light workout is better than none at all.

4. Don't hesitate to modify movements to adapt them to your fitness level. If the program is going too fast or you're getting too tired, just march along until you can get back into the swing of it. Eventually you'll be able to make it through the whole DVD.

5. Don't give up on complicated dance steps. If you take the time to learn them, not only will you get a better workout, you'll have a lot more fun.

6. Keep water available for before, during, and after the workout.

7. Be sure to warm up and cool down before and after exercising. This is included on most DVD workouts, but if you feel it's not adequate for your needs, start a few minutes before and continue a few minutes after the running of the program.

8. Try to work out in the morning if possible. Have your DVD in the player and ready to go when get up. It will get your metabolism going and it will insure that you will, in fact, exercise that day. Anytime, however, is a good time to workout except, perhaps, right before bedtime because exercise is so energizing.

Have fun!

Finally, Easy Breezy Fruit Dip

1 (12 oz.) tub of Cool Whip Free, thawed

1 small package of Jell-O Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix (fat free and sugar free)

Let Cool Whip thaw for about 1 hour. Mix in pudding mix using a mixer until well blended. Refrigerate or serve immediately.

Serve with whole strawberries, apple slices, pear slices, pineapple spears, grapes. Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons

Servings Per Recipe: 25
Calories: 16.7 ; 6 Tablespoons = 1 WW Point.

Even Easier Dip

Cream Cheese and Salsa Dip

1 block of fat-free cream cheese
3/4 cup of salsa (spicy or not)

Cut block of cream cheese into 4 pieces. Pour salsa over the top. Microwave just until it's soft enough to stir, and mix the cream cheese and salsa well.

Serve with baked corn tortillas or sliced veggies.

About 250 calories, 5 points, in entire recipe.

(If you really hate fat free cream cheese you can substitute low fat cream cheese, but the calories will soar to about 600. I seldom use fat free cream cheese because it's one of those fat-free products that I just can't stomach, but it's not bad at all in this recipe -- well worth the points and calories saved.)

(Almost) Free and Easy Dip

Eggplant Dip

1 medium eggplant
4 cloves of garlic, halved lengthwise
fat free plain yogurt, to taste

Make 8 small but deep slits into the eggplant skin and insert garlic halves. Wrap eggplant in aluminum foil and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees, until soft, about 30-40 minutes.

Let cool. Remove foil, then remove skin. Put eggplant flesh and garlic in blender; blend until smooth. Add a few tablespoons of yogurt, to the consistency you desire.

Serve with sliced veggies and/or pita chips.

There are 100 calories and 15 grams of fiber in the eggplant; 0 WW points. Serve with sliced veggies and/or pita chips. This is a filling low, low calorie lunch for when you're wanting to save points for a big night out.

Don't Be a Dip!

The Problem with Dips ... and How to Solve It

Although they get a bad rap, dips in and of themselves aren't necessarily evil. Low fat and fat free yogurt, sour cream, and cream cheese can be used to make 'creamy' dips that aren't full of fat and calories. The main problem with dips is the 'dipper.'

Eating a dip usually entails using one food as a utensil (chip) to eat another food (dip). Okay, I know I don't even have to go there with the chips. (But I will, just a little). Chips are evil. Even baked chips are problematic because it's so difficult to stop with one serving. But there are alternatives.

Sliced fruit and vegetables, of course. We all know that one, and as long as there are no chips in sight, they work pretty well. Or how about a whole wheat pita, separated, sliced in wedges, sprayed with Pam, and baked till crisp? Or the same process with a corn tortilla or high fiber flour tortilla? If you get the right kind, with a lot of fiber, you can end up with quite a few chips for 1 point.

And why would that be better than regular baked chips? Portion control. (I'll swear, I think portion control is the key to everything.) Fix as much as you're wanting to eat and no more. There's no bag in the cupboard that you can sneak back into.

And remember, if you have a favorite low calorie dip, you don't need to use a dipper to eat it. Use it on a baked potato, as a mayo substitute on a sandwich, on hot or cold veggies, on a salad, or even mixed with pasta.

You don't have to give up dips altogether, you just need to be smart about them. In other words, don't be a dip!

Another Crispy Chicken

A little different take on this one than the last.

Crispy Chicken

4 - 4oz. skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1/4 cup Fat Free Ranch Dressing

1/2 cup Corn Flakes - crushed

Spices of choice (parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, etc.) *

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix spices and Corn Flakes in a bowl and set aside. Dip chicken in Fat Free Ranch Dressing and roll in corn flake mixture. Spray low-sided pan (like a cookie sheet) with Pam. Bake chicken until done, about 45 minutes.

*If you want a Kentucky Fried Chicken flavor, use a pinch (and just a pinch because dried herbs are very pungent) of the following spices: paprika, garlic salt, onion salt, dried oregano, dried rubbed sage, dried powdered rosemary, dried powdered thyme, dried parsley.

Makes 4 portions - 4 points each, about 2oo calories each.

Secret Fitness

These exercises can be done sitting down and nobody needs to know you're doing them. At your desk, the movies, even in church, you can squeeze a little fitness in.

If you have a long drive to work and a lot of traffic lights, use your frequent stops to tone your body with these little isometric maneuvers. Or do them while you're sitting in a traffic jam, but I don't recommend doing them while actually driving.

1. Tighten Your Behind. Squeeze your buttock muscles for 10 seconds, then release. Repeat 10 times. This tones the gluteal muscles.

2. Flatten Your Stomach. Breathe out and pull your stomach in toward your back as far as possible, as if trying to touch your ribs to your stomach. Hold for 10 seconds, then release. Repeat 10 times.

3. Tone Your Thighs. Squeeze your thighs together as tight as you can. Hold for 10 seconds and release. Repeat 10 times.

4. Exercise Your Shoulders. Keep your arms and shoulders relaxed. Hold tightly to the edge of your desk or your steering wheel, lower your shoulders, and pull back as far as you can while moving you shoulder blades together (so you're in a 'hunched' position). Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times. (This one may be hard to do in church without anyone noticing!)

5. Strengthen your shins. Toe raises will help work the muscles on the front of your shins. Lift toes, hold 10 seconds, relax and repeat 10 times.

Easy Crockpot Cabbage Soup

From a message board:

"Easy Crockpot Cabbage Soup

One head of cabbage, shredded
2 cans beef broth - preferrably low sodium

Cook on low 7-8 hours. Eat (after taking Beano! lol). My WW leader said this is only 2 points for the whole pot! I ordinarily don't like cabbage, but this was YUMMY!"

(I don't really know what to say about the points and calories in this one. I always think of cabbage as a 'free' food, both calorie- and point-wise. [And WW considers cabbage a 'free' food, too.]

However, when I looked it up I was surprised to see that there are 277 calories in a head of cooked cabbage! There are also 12 grams of fiber. So do with this what you will. I'm fairly certain, however, no one has gotten fat eating too much boiled cabbage, and I would feel completely comfortable using this as a 'free' food.)

A Little Snack

From a message board:

"My favorite snack of the moment is 1/2 cup lite french vanilla or fat free Greek yogurt mixed with 1/2 cup of either no sugar added applesauce or canned pumpkin, 1 splenda pack, and some cinnamon."

About 1 WW point; 50-75 calories.